Why isn't my daughter's FAFSA generating an SAI? We submitted everything!

The same thing happened with my son's application. We submitted in January but no SAI appeared until I discovered there was an "unresolved signature issue" even though we both had FSA IDs and thought we had signed. Check the "More Info" button on the processed application - there might be a tiny note there explaining what's missing. For us, I had to go back in and re-sign even though the application showed as processed.

There are a few common reasons why an SAI isn't generating even with a "processed" status: 1. Verification flag - Sometimes applications get selected for verification and won't generate an SAI until that process is complete (though this usually shows as a status) 2. Data mismatch between IRS information and what was entered 3. System glitch that requires manual review 4. Missing parent information if your daughter is a dependent student I recommend checking if there's any notification in her email that might have been overlooked. Also, try logging out completely, clearing browser cache, and logging back in - sometimes the interface doesn't update properly.

did u check if she accidentally listed herself as independent? that wuld cause problems. my daughter did this & we had to start all over

I went through this EXACT same thing last year with my twins. Turned out that even though the application showed as "processed" there was a tiny flag on one question about household size that was causing the system to hold the SAI calculation. The most frustrating part was that there was ZERO notification - it just sat there looking complete. The only solution I found was getting through to an actual FSA agent who could see what was happening on their end. Regular phone lines are useless - I tried for THREE WEEKS. I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that waits on hold with FSA for you and then calls you when an agent is ready. Saved me literally hours of hold time. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent found the issue in 2 minutes and fixed it on the spot. Had our SAI the next day.

As a financial aid advisor, I've seen this issue multiple times this year. The 2025-2026 FAFSA rollout has been plagued with technical problems. One common issue is that the system shows "processed" but has an internal flag preventing SAI calculation. Before trying anything else, have your daughter check the "Communication Center" in her studentaid.gov account - not just email. Sometimes notifications only appear there. Also, try viewing the application from a different browser entirely (not just clearing cache). If those don't work, unfortunately, you will need to speak with an FSA agent directly. They have access to the backend system that shows precisely what's causing the hold-up. Colleges cannot help with this particular issue since they can only see what you're seeing.

UGH THE NEW FAFSA IS THE WORST!!!! My daughter's SAI was delayed for 9 WEEKS because of some stupid glitch that wasn't our fault!!! We ended up missing priority deadlines at two schools and probably lost thousands in institutional aid because of it. The whole system is designed to FAIL students and parents. I'm convinced they do this on purpose to reduce how much aid they have to give out.

Just wanted to update - I checked back and saw your responses. If you haven't tried Claimyr yet, I really suggest giving it a shot. The regular FSA phone lines are completely overwhelmed this year with all the FAFSA changes. When I finally got through, the agent told me they were handling 3x the normal call volume. Also, sometimes the SAI will suddenly appear without explanation after 6-8 weeks. The system seems to run batch processes that eventually catch stuck applications. But with your daughter's financial aid deadlines coming up in just 3 weeks, you probably don't have time to wait for that.

I had a similar situation last month and what fixed it for me was contacting my daughter's college financial aid office directly. They were able to submit some kind of override request to FSA that unstuck the application. Worth trying alongside the other suggestions here.